With a number of linebackers leaving the Wyoming program due to graduation this spring, California junior college linebacker, Jordan Stanton saw an opportunity for early playing time. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder from Pierce College in Los Angeles is taking advantage of the opportunity by committing to Wyoming during his visit to Laramie this weekend. Stanton chose Wyoming over scholarship offers from Arkansas State and Old Dominion.

"Originally, I had four reasons for choosing a school," said Stanton. "The first is playing time. I want to come in and try to earn a starting job. At Wyoming there is an opportunity for me to come in and compete for that job. The coaches said they want me to play at the weakside linebacker position. They are losing two starting will backers and one back-up, so there is an opportunity there."

Stanton said he was also won over by the idea of Wyoming linebackers coach Robin Ross as his mentor in practice. Stanton said he wanted a coach who can bring him along to the next level and cited Ross' experience with the Oakland Raiders as well as Oregon and Oregon State University. The Cowboys' system also played a part in Stanton's pledge.

"The system fits me the best," Stanton said. "I can come off the edge, I can play some coverage too."

Stanton comes to Wyoming with the endorsement of his junior college coach, Efrain Martinez. As a sophomore at Pierce last season, Stanton had 29 stops, four sacks for 16 yards in losses, two forced fumbles and a pass break-up.

"Jordan Stanton is a big time linebacker who will make an instant impact on the Wyoming Football program. He is a tremendous player and also a tremendous person as well. He will make Wyoming proud," Martinez said via email Monday.

"I am good a gauging linebackers, I am good at getting upfield and I consider myself a big-time football player," Stanton said.

Stanton said he came from Palmdale, Calif. and Pete Knight High School. After his junior year of college he picked up a scholarship offer from the University of Minnesota, however when head coach Tim Brewster's regime was shown the door, so did his offer. Stanton said he received scholarship offers from Division I-AA schools after his senior season, but thought he could do better, so he took the junior college route.

"My senior year, I didn't get a lot of looks because I played at such a small school," he said. "I had a couple of I-AA offers, but I felt like if I took them, I would be selling myself short, so I decided to go the JUCO route."

Two years ago he attended College of the Canyons and started for the Cougars. Last summer he transferred to Pierce in hopes of getting a better opportunity to move on to a Division I program.

"Academically, I thought it was a better fit and we didn't have a dedicated linebackers coach at COC," Stanton said.

This weekend, Stanton said he thought everything came together and pointed him in the direction of Wyoming. He said he was concerned about the cold, but really liked the idea of getting out of the city. He said he was impressed by what Laramie had to offer and especially excited to get to know his new teammates.

"It was a good visit," Stanton said. "We checked out the town, the facilities and they had the communications major I wanted. The team was also like a brotherhood. The team is really close. I was at my host's house and there were about 10-11 players who just came over to hang out.

"And Coach Christensen is a great leader for that program," he added. "He is a real father figure."